Bigtooth maple tree named ‘JFS-NuMex 3’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Bigtooth Maple tree named ‘JFS-NuMex 3’, characterized by resiliency to drought and improved resistance to fungal diseases, faster growing, branching with more upright angles, and with brighter fall colors than all other Bigtooth selections.

Botanical designation: Acer grandidentatum ‘JFS-NuMex 3’.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JFS-NuMex 3’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of BigtoothMaple tree, botanically known as Acer grandidentatum ‘JFS-NuMex 3’, andcommonly known as ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ Bigtooth Maple.

The new Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum ‘JFS-NuMex 3’) has uniquefoliar and growth traits. The plant shows resiliency to drought andimproved resistance to tar spot fungi (Rhytisma spp.) and powdery mildew(Phyllactina marissalii), which are common fungal diseases of Acergrandidentatum. The new Bigtooth Maple is also faster growing, moreupright and well branched than all other Acer grandidentatum selections,and displays brighter fall colors.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ as a new and distinct Maple tree:

-   -   1. Resiliency to drought;    -   2. Resistance to tar spot fungi (Rhytisma spp.) and powdery        mildew (Phyllactina marissalii);    -   3. Faster growing;    -   4. Branches with upright angles; and    -   5. Brighter fall colors.

Trees of the new Bigtooth Maple ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ can be compared to sugarmaple (Acer saccharum), or the established cultivar Acer grandidentatum‘Schmidt’ (marketed as Rocky Mountain Glow® maple) (not patented). The‘JFS-NuMex 3’ differ in branching angles, brighter fall colors, andfaster growth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs, which are incorporated into andform a part of the specification, illustrate the overall appearance ofthe new Bigtooth Maple tree showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Bigtooth Maple tree.

FIG. 1A is a side view photograph of an 8-year-old ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ tree;

FIG. 1B is a side view photograph of a Rocky Mountain Glow® tree;

FIG. 2 is a photograph showing the branch structure on a 1-year-old‘JFS-NuMex 3’ whip;

FIG. 3 is a photograph showing the branch structure of a 1-year-oldRocky Mountain Glow® whip;

FIG. 4 is a photograph showing the summer foliage of the ‘JFS-NuMex 3’tree;

FIG. 5A is a photograph showing the fall foliage of the ‘JFS-NuMex 3’tree;

FIG. 5B is a photograph showing the fall foliage of the Rocky MountainGlow® tree; and

FIG. 6 is a photograph showing a comparison of the fall foliage colorand form of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ (right) and the NMSU 1 selection (middle), andNMSU 2 (left) selections.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned colored photographs and following observations,measurements and values describe plants grown in greenhouse and fieldevaluations in Las Cruces, and Boring, Oreg. The new Bigtooth Maple(Acer grandidentatum ‘JFS-NuMex 3’) had unique foliar and growth traits.The plant showed resiliency to drought as assessed through standarddrought physiological testing. In nine years of field testing in Boring,Oreg., the plant performed well. During testing, Acer grandidentatum‘JFS-NuMex 3’ was compared with two other clones of the Texas origin ofthe species, numerous typical seedlings of the species, numerous clonesof a Utah origin, typical seedlings and established cultivars of theclosely related taxa, sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and the establishedcultivar Acer grandidentatum ‘Schmidt’ (marketed as Rocky Mountain Glow®maple).

Referring to FIG. 1A, a ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ eight-year-old tree is showncompared to a Rocky Mountain Glow® tree in FIG. 1B. The two trees differin form. These photographs were taken in Boring, Oreg. in the summer2013.

Furthermore, the branch structure on a 1-year-old ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ whip(FIG. 2) differs from that of a 1-year-old Rocky Mountain Glow® whip(FIG. 3). The photographs in FIGS. 2 and 3 were taken in Boring, Oreg.on Nov. 25, 2014.

FIG. 4 shows the summer foliage of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’. The photograph wastaken in Boring, Oreg. on Jul. 5, 2013. ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ fall color variedfrom yellow orange to red and had the brightest fall color observed inall Acer grandidentatum selections. FIG. 5A shows the fall foliage colorof ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ while FIG. 5B shows the fall foliage of Rocky MountainGlow®. The photograph of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ was taken on Nov. 4, 2014 and thephotograph of the Rocky Mountain Glow® was taken in the fall of 2013.

Referring to FIG. 6, when compared with two Texas clones (NMSU 1selection (middle), and NMSU 2 selection (left)), in a planting block inBoring, Oreg., ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ had the best nursery growth and branchstructure. Another advantage of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ over all other Acergrandidentatum selections is that it was faster growing, more uprightand well branched. Furthermore, ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ had improved resistance totar spot fungi (Rhytisma spp.) and powdery mildew (Phyllactinamarissalii) which are common fungal diseases of Acer grandidentatum.

Drought tolerance testing involved initial assessment of leafchlorophyll fluorescence, plant water relations, leaf relative watercontent, specific leaf weight, total leaf area, specific stem length,leaf thickness, plant height, xylem diameter, leaf, stem, and root dryweight, relative growth rate (RGR), and net assimilation rate (NAR) ofplants exposed to multiple cycles of drought. A second round of droughttolerance testing involved assessment of plant water relations, relativewater content, specific leaf weight, foliar stable carbon isotopecomposition and carbon and nitrogen content, plant height, xylemdiameter, total leaf surface area, RGR, NAR, and leaf, stem, and rootdry weight.

For radiation tolerance screening, the acclimation of the plant to lightand shade was assessed via the assessment of the photoprotectivemechanisms of the violaxanthin and lutein cycles.

Aesthetic qualities assessed included leaf morphology, leaf color, fallfoliage color, foliage characteristics (tip burn and leaf tatter), pestand disease incidence, branching habits, and plant height. Foliage alsowas screened for leaf tip burn and leaf tatter.

-   Botanical designation: Acer grandidentatum ‘JFS-NuMex 3’.-   Cultivar denomination: ‘JFS-NuMex 3’.-   Parentage: The new Bigtooth Maple tree originated from progeny    selection of half-siblings that originated from an unknown, open    pollinated single-tree with unknown parentage in Vanderpool, Tex.,    USA. Progeny were screened for drought and radiation tolerance, and    aesthetic qualities. ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ leaves show little to no evidence    of leaf tatter. In contrast, leaves of the parent showed some    evidence of leaf tatter. New foliage growth of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ is    distinctly greyed-orange (RHS 176A). This new foliage distinguishes    ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ from its potential parent and many other bigtooth    maple taxa. The petioles of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’ are red (RHS 46A). Typical    petiole color for other bigtooth maples is green. The potential    parent plant had a spreading rounded crown which differs from the    upright oval canopy of ‘JFS-NuMex 3’. This indicates that ‘JFS-NuMex    3’ branches more upright than its parent.-   Propagation: Mature samaras (seeds) of bigtooth maples were    collected from the unknown parent tree in a natural stand and with    unknown parentage. After 18 weeks of cold, moist stratification,    seeds were sown in a mixture of peat moss and perlite (1:1, by    volume) in bench-top trays in a greenhouse and allowed to germinate.    All seedlings that had the first pair of true leaves visible were    transplanted individually into 3-L plastic pots filled with the    mixture of peat moss and perlite ( 1:1, by volume). Seedlings (half    siblings) initially were screened for tolerance to episodic drought    in a greenhouse environment. Plants that had shown initial    resilience to drought were transplanted to 30-L pots filled with the    mixture of peat moss and perlite (1:1, by volume) and again tested    for drought tolerance. Drought testing was done in an outdoor    in-ground nursery production system (pot-in-pot) established in a    Chihuahuan desert environment. Desirable selections were maintained    in the outdoor in-ground nursery production system. Three softwood    tip cuttings 0.12-0.20 inch (3-5 mm) diameter and containing two to    three nodes were selected from the desirable selection in the    in-ground nursery production. Leaves (lamina and petiole) were    excised, and cuttings were placed between moist paper towels and    shipped overnight to a nursery in Boring, Oreg. There, the 0.12-0.20    inch (3-5 mm) thick softwood tip cuttings were veneer-grafted onto a    standard commercial sugar maple stock growing in the field. From    grafting, one year old trees produced 7 feet tall whips.    Two-year-old grafted trees produced a 1.0 to 1.25 inch (25-32 mm)    caliper tree; three-year-old trees produced a 1.5 to 1.75 inch    (38-44 mm) caliper tree. The ornamental traits remained stable after    eight years of successive asexual reproduction. A low level of graft    incompatibility between the sugar maples stock and bigtooth maple    scion was observed in test plots. Overall incompatibility rates were    around 5% and when incompatibility occurred, it was early in the    life of the tree so incompatible trees can be culled in the nursery.-   Plant description:    -   -   Size.—Medium-sized tree, reaching 13 feet (4.0 m) in 10            seasons, 3.2 inch (8.1 cm) caliper, when grown on its own            root. Trees are typically grafted onto a standard compatible            sugar maple rootstock in a commercial production system. The            typical tree trunk diameter at breast height (4.5 feet) is            eight to 9 inches (20-23 cm). Mature height and canopy            spread of the plant is 28 feet and 18 feet, respectively.            The coloration of the mature bark is brown (RHS N200B).            Branch diameter of the largest branches average 5.75 inches            (14.6 cm) and the color is brown (RHS N200B). Branch            diameter of the largest branches average 5.75 inches            (14.6 cm) and brown (RHS N200B).        -   Growth habit and form.—The plant has vigorous growth that is            almost comparable to that of sugar maples. Branches are            ascending and sturdy. The tree has an upright oval form.        -   Cold hardiness.—Plant has been shown to be cold hardy in            USDA zones 5 [average annual minimum temperature (AAMT) of            −15° F. (−26° C.) to −20° F. (−29° C.)] to zone 8 (AAMT of            20° F. (−7° C.) to 15° F. (−9° C.). Plants were also shown            to be cold hardy in a test site in Aberdeen, Utah which is a            borderline cold hardiness zone 4 [AAMT of −25° F. (−32° C.)            to −30° F. (−34° C.)].        -   Drought tolerance.—The cultivar is developed for resiliency            in managed landscapes that are challenged with drought and            only requires regular deep watering post establishment.        -   Heat tolerance.—The cultivar thrives in the typical            Chihuahuan desert environment of Las Cruces, N.M. And this            environment is in the American Horticultural Society Heat            Zone 9 [an average of 120 to 150 days per year with            temperature above 86° F. (30° C.)]. The plant tolerates            exposure to sun and part shade.-   Foliar traits:    -   -   Size.—Average length (apex to petiole), 4.25 inch (108 mm);            average width: 2.87 inch (73 mm). Mature leaves have five            lobes with well-developed lobes that are characteristic of            the Bigtooth Maples taxa.        -   Type.—Simple.        -   Shape.—Mature leaves have five well-developed palmate lobes            and two smaller proximal lobes (closest to petiole) each            with acuminate tips. Sinuses are rounded. Average depth of            sinus between distal and middle lobes is 0.90 inch (23 mm).        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Color.—In summer, the adaxial surface of mature leaves are            glossy and have a dark green color that corresponds to 137B            on The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Color Chart. On            mature, fully expanded leaves, spring foliage color on the            adaxial (upper) leaf surface is a glossy green (RHS 137B)            and spring foliage color on the abaxial (lower) leaf surface            is light green (RHS 138B). Leaf veins on the mature leaves            are yellow green (RHS 153 B). The newly emerging spring are            greyed-orange (RHS 175A) on the adaxial leaf surface and            greyed-orange on the abaxial (RHS 177A) leaf surface. The            twigs on the stems on the plant's current season growth are            greyed-orange (RHS 176A). Fall foliage color varies from            yellow orange (RHS 16A) through orange red (RHS N34C) to            deep red (RHS 46C) and is the reddest bigtooth maple            selection that has been observed in the test plots in            Boring, Oreg.        -   Petiole.—On mature, fully expanded leaves, petiole length            and diameter average 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) and 0.07 inch (1.75            mm). Petioles on mature leaves are red (46A on The R.H.S.            Color Chart).        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Abaxial surface.—Pubescent with thick, unicellular            trichomes. Trichomes are prominent along veins.        -   Adaxial surface.—Glabrous.        -   Venation.—Palmate with one primary prominent vein per lobe.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Double samara, samara angle of 44°.        -   Size.—0.78 inch (20 mm) long, 1.0 inch (2.5 cm) wide at            membranous wing.        -   Color.—Green and turns brown at maturity. Samara matures in            mid to late September in Las Cruces, N.M. Seed color varies            from green (RHS 141C) when immature to brown (RHS 200C) when            mature.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Bigtooth Maple tree named‘JFS-NuMex 3’ as illustrated and described.